When you are considering a romantic getaway to the Cliffside Inn in Newport, make time to visit the Mansions of Newport.  Newport is home to 11 historic mansions located on over 80 acres of gardens and parks. Perhaps the most famous mansion in Newport is The Breakers.  Built by the Vanderbilt family in 1895, The Breakers sits on 13 acres overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.   Architect Richard Morris Hunt and a large crew of European craftsmen built this Italian Renaissance style palazzo with exquisite detail.  The Breakers is one of a kind and is open yearly for self-guided tours. 

During the Holiday Season from November 20th through January 3rd, The Breakers, The Elms, and the Marble House will be all decked out for the Holidays.  Music, tours, and spectacular decorations will highlight the celebration of Christmas.  Visitors will enjoy thousands of poinsettia plants, trees, wreaths and 19th century style ornaments as they turn their grounds into a Yuletide wonderland.   

In addition to the daily Holiday tours, self-guided evening tours featuring Holiday music, sweets, eggnog, and cider will be available for The Breakers on November 28th, December  5th, 12th, and 26st, from 6-8 P.M.  The Elms and the Marble House will have their evening tour on December 19th from 6-9 P.M.  For your convenience, tickets can be purchased in advance on-line.

Your Holidays are sure to be special when you visit the Cliffside Inn in Newport, Rhode Island!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

This December the Inn at Thorn Hill’s Weekend Wine Dinner is featuring wines from Vias Imports collection of Italian wines. The weekend starts with a grand tasting and food stations on Friday December 4th, 2009. Saturday features a wine class of their wines and concludes with our five-course traditional wine dinner.

Friday’s tasting is $45 per person and Saturday’s dinner is $75 per person.  The time is 7:00pm both evenings. Chef Peter Belmonte has created a great menu or Saturday. Please call the Inn at 1-800-289-8990 or email us at stay@innatthornhill.com for information or reservations.

The menu for the Wine Dinner is as follows:

Hors d’ oeuvres and cheeses
Wine
* * *
House Made Gnocchi
Traditional Gnocchi Tosse in a Light Tomato Sauce with Gorgonzola Custard
Terredora Di Paolo Falanghnia
* * *
Cioppino Classico
Fennel Infused Brodo with Fish, Calamari, Cockles, Shrimp, Mussels
and Crab CLaws. Tossed with Italian Herbs and Garnished with Roasted Garlic Crusty Bread

Cantele Salice Salention, Riserva
* * *
Intermeezzo Sorbetto Limoncello
* * *
Braised Pork Shank
Served with Crispy Polenta and Sauteed Broccolini with Garlic Chips
Produttori Del Barbaresco
* * *
Caramelized Fig and Mascarpone Napoleon
Marenco Brachetto D’ Acqui

For those of you that like to combine a cooking school with their stay at a luxury Inn with the taste of exotic, gourmet foods, do not miss this offering from the Manor on Golden Pond, one of our Distinctive Inns of New England.  This beautiful and elegant New Hampshire Country Inn features cooking classes with its world-class Executive Chef, Peter Sheedy, throughout the year.  On November 13-15, 2009, the focus of their latest 2-day cooking school will be Thai Flavours. 

The cooking school menu is set to include Satay and Peanut Sauce, Filet Mignon, Larb-Style, Roasted Barramundi with Red Curry Sauce, and Mango Rice Pudding.  This is designed to be a genuine Thai cooking experience with focus on all of the five flavors, especially “spicy” for those who love the taste of the Eastern Cuisines.  This should be one deliciously hands-on cooking and tasting experience. 

For more detailed information and booking instructions for this exciting Cooking School Package Special head on over to the Manor on Golden Pond’s Dining pages.  Please do not wait on this offering as classes tend to fill up quickly.

by Howard, Quantum Hospitality

Did you know that Vermont has the most covered bridges for a state of its size?  Vermont actually has 104 covered bridges.  In Southern Vermont, some highlights of the many covered bridges include the Bridge at the Green in Arlington and the Henry/Burt Bridge in Bennington.  However, this is only the beginning.  Covered bridges offer a wonderful opportunity to stop, take pictures, and enjoy the scenic views of the Green Mountains.  There is also a guide to Vermont’s covered bridges that provides a short description of the bridge and also its location in Vermont.  I think you will find this very useful when planning your Vermont getaway!

In Bennington, Vermont there is also a Vermont Covered Bridge Museum.  There is more to a covered bridge than meets the eye.  This museum opened in 2003 at the Bennington Center.  While visiting the museum visitors can learn how covered bridges were made, see models of Vermont’s covered bridges, experience the natural environment of the covered bridge, see a working covered bridge railroad layout, and view a film documentary called the Covered Bridges of Vermont.  The museum is open Tuesday thru Sunday and worth the visit.

Two of the Distinctive Inns of New England are located in the Vermont area.  If you are near the Northeast Kingdom, plan to visit the Rabbit Hill Inn.  In southern Vermont, we recomment a stay at the Chesterfield Inn which is located in close proximity to Brattleboro, Vermont. 

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Thanksgiving at the Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, New Hampshire is a holiday tradition to add to your list of “must do”.  This year they are featuring a sensational menu and hope that you will be able to join them!  

Thanksgiving Menu 2009      

Meat Station

Roast Tom Turkey with Traditional Turkey Gravy

Prime Rib Au jus

Pork loin stuffed with Apricots, Raisins, Apples. Topped with Bourbon glaze

Toasted Hazelnut Stuffing

Sweet Sausage & Herb Stuffing  

(more…)

Camden, Maine is a lovely village to visit at any time of the year, especially during the Fall Season.  “Where the mountains meet the sea” is a familiar phrase that describes Camden perfectly.  If you follow the Atlantic coastline from Florida to the Bay of Fundy, this only happens in two places.  Both locations are in Maine and they are Camden and Mt. Desert.  Camden is located at the base of two of these mountains, Mt. Battie and Mt. Megunticook, which are both part of Camden State Park. 

Guests of the Camden Maine Stay can enjoy one of the most scenic outlooks from the summit of Mt. Battie.  It has been the tradition for over 100 of the past years and is sure to be continued.  The summit can be reached by hiking one of the many trails or by a short car ride up its paved road.  Once at the top you will enjoy the scenic views overlooking Penobscot Bay and the quaint town of Camden below.  Peace and quite are abound and we suggest that you pick up a lunch from the Camden Deli to take along with you.  This is just the perfect spot for it to be enjoyed! 

I always add this to my must do, especially in time to view the Fall colors!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

It is time for the ninth annual Wellfleet Oyster Festival.  This years Wellfleet Oyster Festival takes place on October 17^th and 18^th and is guaranteed to be fun for all!  This two-day street party celebrates the town’s famous oysters, clams, and shellfishing traditions and brings together locals and guests of the Captain’s House Inn for a weekend of hometown flavor and big time fun!  

The Wellfleet Oyster Festival schedule of events is sure to please everyone.  Some of the highlights include cooking demonstrations, an arts and craft fair, a 5 K road race or just enjoy the food vendors.  There is also an opportunity to learn about aquaculture where participants will harvest their own Wellfleet oysters and later will learn to shuck them and properly pair them with wine.  Now I must say, I do not recommend drinking the wine until after you have shucked the oysters!

Want to learn the difference between oysters and clams?  Then join in “taste-the-terroir” seminar where participants will sample 3 types of oysters and 3 types of clams from different sections of Wellfleet Harbor.  Or do you feel confident about your oyster shucking skills?  Then be sure to join in the oyster shucking contest.

 We are sure that you will not want to miss the Wellfleet Oyster Festival!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

During your Fall Foliage escape to New England, consider exploring the Coastal Wine Trail.  The Coastal Wine Trail winds through the heart of the Southeastern New England Wine Growing Appellation and covers the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  The common thread through this wine region is their close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the ability to capture the warm Gulf Stream waters in the summer and fall creating a perfect grape growing environment.  

Wind your way along the coastal back roads of the wine country and sip tasty regional wines from a total of 8 wineries.  Most wineries are open year around and offer wine tasting and tours to visiting wine connoisseurs.  Each vineyard is unique and celebrate the fall harvest in a variety of ways.  Participating vineyards include Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth, RI; Langworthy Farm Vineyards in Westerly, RI; Newport Vineyards in Middletown, RI; Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton, RI; Running Brooks Vineyard in North Dartmouth, MA; Travessia Winery in New Bedford, MA; Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod in Truro, MA; and Westport River Vineyard and Wineries in Westport, MA. 

This is a wonderful way to enjoy New England Fall Foliage while visiting the Cliffside Inn and Captain’s House Inn along southern New England. 

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality